Bitter Sweet
by The most beautiful of lies
Summary: Betrayed by one of their own,Natsu had been one of the lucky few that managed to escape the police raid that terrible night. Having fled with 'borrowed' money, he strikes out on his own. To escape his past and keep one step ahead of his sadistically cruel boss "Jude", Natsu opens his own illegal speakeasy for caffeinated goods, knowing if he's caught, death would be a blessing.
1. Fresh start

As of the year two thousand, rumours flew that the government was fighting to make the sale, distribution, consumption and possession of any caffeinated item – pop, ice cream, any kind of coffee from decaf to dark roast, certain medications from weight loss pills to types of pain medications, any and all products containing even a trace of caffeine was going to become an illegal substance. All in an attempt to curb the massive amounts of people affected by this overly addictive substance. Yet another useless "war on drugs" for the government to make themselves look good. Coffee shops were closing, shutting their doors for good, stores began taking ice cream off their shelves and doctors and pharmacies stopped proscribing and selling medications that had even a trace of caffeine.

Three years later as of January first, two thousand three the laws were finally changed and enforced. If one was caught consuming, selling, distributing or buying caffeine of any amount, they were fined heavily or if the amount was high enough – jailed up to a maximum of ten years. Even the threat of jail time and very heavy fines didn't stop people from drinking, consuming, stealing, buying, selling and even operating illegal coffee houses in secret, right under the nose of the law. Sometimes with the help of corrupt police and officials.

There was a black market for it, run by crooked officials and dirty cops, desperate caffeine addicts and anyone who wanted a quick buck. The buying of mass amounts of caffeine was hard to come by but a few who did became extremely wealthy, desirable...and dangerous. Once the individual had power, they would do _anything_ to keep it. Bribery and murder were common in this field. The police and law abiders were the least of a persons worry in this illegal underground. The worst thing out there was some one who was running the exact same business – with _much_ more resources.

That was just the way that Natsu Dragneel liked it. In twenty – seventeen, seventeen years after the laws passed, he wasn't new to this line of work. He'd worked for thirteen years, starting at the age of six, for a caffeine lord as a Caffeine Runner. Natsu was part of the ring that would smuggle coffee and other caffeinated items in to the city. A six year old caught with illegal substances? He was to young for the police to do anything about it. Laws only applied to those eighteen years and older.

Natsu had started working four years after the law had been passed, the man was a king pin of the illegal caffeine business known only by the name _Jude._ That was how this business was run, one name bases only. One name could be anything. A first name, last name, alias. It was impossible to track, easy to remember and protected the one who's name it was. The less information one knew, the better. It discouraged people breaking off and trying on their own, the police from trying to find legitimate charges so as to dig further in to their suspected ones and most importantly...added protection against betrayal. Natsu knew first hand that that wasn't how it worked one hundred percent of the time however...

When his boss was betrayed by one of his crewmen, the caffeine bar was ransacked during a raid, he'd been one of the lucky few that managed to escape. Natsu was lucky enough to be in the back at the time, washing the coffee pots. He was able to sneak out and make a run for it with the money he'd 'borrowed' from his employer. A disgusting, greedy and perverted man, he'd never paid Natsu or the crew that worked under him, instead using threats of harm and ratting them out to the police to get them to work. They were young, had no family, were poor or had family they needed to protect from knowing their true line of work for various reasons. Instead, Jude brought in people – addicts, drifters, creepy and suspicious people and bimbos off the street, buying round upon round of coffee for them.

Aged fourteen, eight years after he'd first started working as a Caffeine Runner, Natsu became a barkeep. As a barkeep, it was Natsu's job to serve them – in silence. So much as a word breathed to his customers, especially about where and how the caffeine products were acquired...well, everyone knew what happened in that little back room. Especially Natsu. He mopped the place out at least once a week, the drain in the back of the bar permanently stained a rusty red. He wasn't stupid, the code of silence was the only way to survive in this life, it had served him well these passed thirteen years.

After the escape from the raid, he'd been able to lie low for a few months. Natsu had chosen to strike out on his own. So now here he was in this run down, sewage smelling, rodent infested bar. He was no fool. He knew how to be a barkeep, so a barkeep he would, of alcohol and caffeine both. How hard could it be to run a coffeehouse disguised as a bar?

A soft snort of laughter escaped him as he looked around the room, dark eyes taking in the warped and old tables, almost rotting with misuse. The wooden floor so covered in dust, the footprints of the rodents that called this place home the only signs of life. What sunshine there was outside was almost lost in the filter of ages of dust and grime on the windows. Worn out and stained beams held the sagging roof, a long counter at the back with a cash register, six bar stool like chairs and a small shelf for merchandise.

A long grimy and scuzzy mirror along the back of the counter allowed the clerk to see what was going on behind his back, around the room, the doors and tables. Off to the right blocked off by a mold covered swash of fabric trying it's best to play a curtain hid the true reason he'd bought this disused and abandoned for ages building. Behind that curtain was a secret that would – hopefully – allow him to live the life he'd always wanted to live. Sweeping one more look around the room, a slow almost feral grin came to his lips as he took it all in.

"Mister Dragneel, if you'll follow me..."

Glaring at the man, Natsu made sure he had his magic energy at the ready, just in case. In this type of business venture, you couldn't trust your own parents, never mind a complete stranger. The fact that he had to use the services of such a sleazy man was enough to make his skin crawl, but he didn't really have a choice. Jon had come highly recommended from Natsu's contacts still within Jude's 'employ'. As soon as Natsu had mentioned his interest in buying this building for a bar, the sleazy little man's piggy eyes lit up with greed and Natsu knew that he was discovered.

Looking to be a tad more discreet, and in desperate need for utmost discretion he'd offered the man twice the cost of the building and five percent of the a fore mentioned cost for his silence. Both men knew the other would keep tabs on the them, leverage against the other in case the deal went bad or Natsu was caught running an illegal business and ratted Jon out as the seller. To take the deal was beneficial to both parties. One mistake and they would both fall.

That thought in mind as he walked passed that disgusting curtain, he took a moment to light his hand aflame and brushed the tips of his fingers over the disgusting thing, almost as one would caress the skin of a lover. Immediately the mouldy fabric caught hungrily and the burning tangy smell of mold and fabric filled the room. Just as the man turned back, eyes wide in panic, a smile slipped over Natsu's lips.

 _A deer in the headlights..._

One thing Natsu knew was you didn't get far in this business by being afraid of every man, woman or child you met. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he adjusted the white scale patterned scarf he always wore around his neck, motioning for the man to continue on the way. The longer his car was parked outside, the nosier neighbours got. Nosey neighbours were never a good thing – they asked to many questions.

"So, you're looking to open a bar, hm, lad? The downstairs has excellent storage for – eh, special items. Lots of space for – counters and special merchandise. Running water, electricity, a working cashier station, extra escapes – for fires of course! It's really a very nice place to be, I'm partial to it myself, but it's the wife you see...she's sick and...the basement doesn't do good for her poor health."

"I'm sorry to hear about your sick wife, Sir. I hope that this will meet all my expectations. Is it the right temperature to hold my more delicate and finer of products? Keeps out scents from the outside so as not to spoil the more delicate of flavours?"

Just watching the man's hands jitter and touch everything, it made Natsu's skin crawl. He was not careful at all! Both men knew the exact reasoning Natsu was looking to buy this building, he just happened to be more discreet than this lumbering oaf of a realtor!

"Yes, Mister – eh, Dragneel...Look, before we go any further...can we cut with the formalities? My name is Jon, I prefer -"

"Smith or Doe? Maybe Smythe?"

Crossing his arms as he spoke, Natsu huffed a sigh of exasperation. It was always the same story. Always the same fake last name, untraceable, no information or the information of a person long dead or very very far away that had nothing to do with any part of the situation. Putting up with these people for the ten years he was working for Jude was bad enough, now that he was on his own – he was having none of it. Clearing his throat, he ran a hand through his salmon coloured hair, mussing it further and narrowed his gaze on the man.

"Look, Jon Doe, Smith or Smythe or whoever the hell you are – I'll just call you Jon and you just call me Dragneel. That's it that's all. You don't like it, I cut out deal right here, right now and walk out that door. Are we clear?"

All it took was to scoop some of the fire on the curtain up, almost absently popping it in his mouth, and Jon Smith, Doe or Smythe, whoever this man was, went bolting through the door. Bitter laughter burst passed Natsu's lips as he watched the man run. The place was already paid for in full, the deed and other legal papers tucked safely away in a locked container in his trunk. Grabbing an old chair and brushing the dust off, Natsu scrubbed at his face and sighed. He hated intimidating people like that...he hated being the bad guy – but in this life, he had to be. He didn't have a choice, this was all he knew. What better to do to make a living then what you knew how to do? Everyone had to make a living – even a coffeehouse barkeep gone rogue and on his own.

"Sitting here isn't going to help me do jack-all. First things first, this place needs a good scrub down."

Grabbing his keys from his pocket, Natsu worked his way out the door and to his car, deciding to go to the store to gather cleaning supplies. If he was going to run a bar, he'd at least better make it look legitimate. For starters, he needed to clean that place from top to bottom...and hire personnel.

Laughter escaped him once more as he sped his way down the road. Cleaning supplies and the library to type out a help wanted add it was then!

 _ **Edited: 08/03/2015**_


	2. New neighbour

Aimlessly pushing his cart down the isle marked Cleaning Products Isle One, Natsu read the bottles trying to figure out what product would be best for getting rid of years of dirt and rat feces, not to mention gods know what else he might find. He'd passed a few store clerks but was reluctant to talk to them. Years of serving people in silence, or with very few words, he was reluctant to talk to anyone outside of his social circle. Mainly consisting of ilk of his own kind. Drifters, swindlers, anyone that attacked first and asked questions later.

Thanks to that aspect of his life left behind him, he found himself standing in the middle of Isle One questioning the use of bleach versus all purpose cleaner. Right off the top of his head, Natsu knew that bleach and scalding hot water removed blood stains from almost any surface as long as it wasn't fabric or untreated wood. Bleach and scalding hot water was used to clean most if not all surfaces in his old coffeehouse. In _Jude's_ coffeehouse. Just thinking that mans name sent chills down his spine. He'd come this far away through hell and back again to get a fresh start of his own. He would do it to!

Determinedly, Natsu shelved the bleach and tossed the all purpose cleaner in to his cart. Looking at the list he'd written off the top of his head, he worked his way down the isle gathering the other needed supplies. A couple of buckets with mops, a few dozen wash and dust cloths, brooms, dustpans, more all purpose cleaner. Satisfied with his selections and unsure if they would work but willing to give it a shot, Natsu made his way over to the cashier, wandering a side isle looking for dinner.

As he worked his way through the isles, he couldn't help but notice how _friendly_ these people were. All excuse me's and pardons, smiles and shifting of carts so he could make his way through with his. Normally a nice person in public, today this seemed to get under his skin. It was bad enough that he had to deal with that sleaze of a salesman, now he had to deal with the store! All he wanted was to just get back to his bar and begin the process of cleaning it, setting it up to look legitimate, then begin working on his coffeehouse! The sooner he began selling caffeinated items to the desperate and addicted, the sooner he would be able to live normally again. Ignoring the world and blasting his music as he worked nights in his bar and days in his coffeehouse. Simple, right? One would think...Not!

"Hello, Darling! You're a new face in town, mm?"

Fighting the urge to tug his scarf over his lower face and pop in his ear buds, Natsu instead smiled and nodded as he placed all of his cleaning supplies on the belt. The woman scanned the items, seemingly unsurprised. When he took out his wallet and waited for the total, the woman tried to strike up a conversation rather intrusively. Once again the seductive thought of his scarf and ear buds crossed his mind.

"You lookin' for a job, Hun? We're always hiring!"

Taking a look at the store around him, the rotting produce sitting in dirty bins and covered with fruit flies, dirt covered white tiles, half empty shelves, bored looking staff, bad yellowish lighting, elevator music blasting from to obvious speakers and "SMILE you're on camera!" stickers tacked to the cashier tills, all on top of overly nice people blatantly ignoring their crying and screaming children...? Not his idea of a good place to work...! Smiling to the overly kind and intrusive woman, Natsu let slight sadness fill his tone.

"Sorry – ah, Debbie is it? - I actually have a job. I just bought the bar over on Blossom avenue and Lily street. Just today in fact. It's a fixer upper, but it'll be good!"

Debbie's stance and face fell so severely, it was like Natsu had just kicked a puppy in front of her! Did they get brownie points or something for every person they hire?! Paying his bill and grabbing his bags, he smiled once more to the cashiers and the elderly man at the door before setting off in his car once more. Cleaning supplies in hand, he was going to have to pull an all nighter to get this place even _close_ to passing as dirty, never mind _clean_. To get it actually spotless?! Just thinking about the hours of work ahead already made Natsu's bones ache. It needed to be done! He knew what he was getting in to when he first decided to break away and continue in the illegal business of being a caffeine smuggler, seller and barkeep. Still though, he could allow himself a little bit of self pity, couldn't he!? Geezsh.

As he pulled up in to his new parking space, he took a moment to look at the state of the outside of the building. Cracked side walks, chipping brick on the front of the store surrounded two large windows, one on each side of the thick oaken door. Not the greatest, but it could've been worse, that was for certain! The thing that surprised him the most was the woman that stood in front of the door, seemingly waiting to be let in. If he wasn't really paying attention, he probably wouldn't have noticed her. As he climbed out and grabbed his bags, he peeked once more out of the corner of his eye – she just kept standing there!

"Um, hi. Can I help you?"

Natsu's simple words seemed to be the right ones as a smile broke out over the woman's face brightening it to the point where he found himself smiling right along with her! Looking into her brown eyes, he took in her short – compared to him – height, blonde hair in two low pigtails, white t-shirt and faded blue jeans, right down to the red slip on shoes on her feet. He was about to speak again when her small hand burst in to his line of vision and he found himself again looking in to her brown eyes, automatically taking her hand in his.

"I'm Lucy."

"Dra – ah – Natsu."

"Hello, Draahnatsu!"

Surprisingly enough, a blush raced up his cheeks as he fought it down, gently releasing her hand. All of this begged the question – why was she coming and introducing herself to a complete stranger? Adjusting his bags in his hands, he asked as much of her, earning a laugh in return, soft and sweet. He tried once again to fight down the blush, murmuring instead.

"It's Natsu – just Natsu, by the way. Anyways though, my question?"

"What am I doing here standing in front of my home?"

"You...live in my bar...?

 _That was defiantly not told to me!_

As he plotted ways to hunt down Jon what ever his last name was, Lucy's laugh filled his ears once more, distracting him.

"So you're the new landlord?"

"Wait – what! Landlord? No, no, no – I bought the bar, not an apartment complex! Look, these are heavy, come inside and make yourself useful at least."

Shaking his head at how easily she followed him in – he could've been an axe murderer for all she knew! - he dropped the bags on the nearest and least rickety looking table and began to unpack. He would clean while he tried to work out this whole landlord business. No where in the lease agreement or any of their meetings was it mentioned that this bar had some one – a woman! - living in it!

"Where...exactly do you live, um...Lucy was it?"

"That's not something you ask a woman you just met!"

Caught off guard by her anger and flustered beyond words, Natsu was about to apologize when he noticed the grin fighting at the corners of her lips. When he tried to look fierce, her grin finally broke and he found himself laughing with her. As he sorted supplies and figured out where he wanted to start – the windows – Lucy caught him up to speed with all that was going on involving the bar.

This old building used to be a bar owned by her father. At first it was doing well, she herself worked here in the kitchen as the cook on weekends. All too soon however, the typical thing happened. Competition. Another bar had opened up down the road and it catered to – special needs – of it's clients. The possibilities of what that could mean were thick in the air, though Natsu had a feeling he could guess all to well. Coffeehouse – a secret illegal bar for selling and consuming food and drink with caffeine. A way to get that fix one desired under the nose of the law. It was dangerous to frequent a coffeehouse – to own and run one? The most idiotic and dangerous line of work anyone could have chosen.

A grin slipped over Natsu's lips at the thought of it. He liked to play with fire...so owning and running a coffeehouse was just perfect for some one like him!

Lucy went on to say that her father's bar fell through, he moved out to 'work on his other investments', saying he'd be back. That was just under a year ago. Right around the time that Jude's Coffeehouse was raided, Natsu realized. He couldn't help but thank whatever gods there were that it wasn't just his old coffeehouse that was raided that night! Less focus on them that way. Lucy broke into his thoughts, further explaining her father left her living in the small two room apartment by herself, forcing her to take a job at the local grocery store – she'd been there since then, stocking shelves and working her way to the day shift manager in a few short months. When Natsu casually mentioned Debbie, Lucy laughed once more and explained all he had to do was smile and nod, she would do all the talking. Then the conversation shifted to more unsteady grounds.

"It'll be nice to see this old building in use again, but are you sure that a bar would be the best idea?"

Immediately this question set him on guard. Although she'd asked it in innocence, Natsu didn't survive for thirteen years in the world he had answering questions – even innocent ones – that didn't sit right with him. So instead, he did one of the things he did best – lie. Even if it did feel wrong lying to Lucy...

"Ah...yeah! It's always been my dream to own my own bar. I worked with my – Dad – at his in the back ever since I was a kid...aaand once I was eighteen I waited ten months then I walked out and decided to start my own! So here I am!"

"You're eighteen?"

"Nineteen actually. I ah – just turned nineteen a week ago."

As she gushed over a belated happy birthday to him and how her nineteenth was a few days away, he couldn't help but notice calling Jude his dad was enough to send his guts reeling, instincts going against it. Lucy's gasp as she reached out and took his wrists surprised him enough that he looked down at his hands – and the fire that surrounded them! Gently releasing his wrists, he took a deep breath and gathered his flames under control, his stance shifting defensively as he waited for Lucy's reaction. Expecting questions, fear or even confusion, the normal responses to his body language and reaction, all he simply got was a smile and the jingle of keys in his face. It took him a moment before it finally dawned on him what she was trying to tell him.

"You're a celestial mage!"

"Yes, I am! And judging by what just happened, you're a fire mage...?"

"Yea...ah – fire dragon slayer actually..."

"You're a dragon slayer?! Levy and Gajeel will be so excited!"

Only half listening, Natsu just nodded, grateful she didn't run away screaming. As he tossed the rag aside and sighed, taking in the work that still had to be done – they'd managed to clean only one window on both sides in three hours – he flopped down in to the chair closest to him and groaned. Lucy sat across from him after cleaning the seat and lay her chin in her hand.

"Ya' know, why don't I call Levy and Gajeel? I know they'll come and help clean!"

At this point, any help would be greatly appreciated. To clean the bar and to lighten the strange atmosphere surrounding the last three hours he'd spent with Lucy. Weirdly enough, he'd felt...safe around this strange blonde woman. She'd made him smile and laugh, made him drop down his guard. Made him happy! And that was _not_ a good thing! As she excused herself to make her call, Natsu once again found himself with his head in his hands, this time wondering what the hell he'd just gotten himself in to in the span of five hours...


	3. Footprints in the dust

While Lucy was making her phone call, Natsu finished the second of the large windows, smiling a goofy but happy smile to himself. The amount of light that came in to the room was increased and just thinking about it, how it would shine off the polished floors and tables, the cleaned mirror and bar! All the greens, blues, ambers and deep rich browns of the various alcohol bottles, the brushed nickle of the beer taps...! Just thinking about it, the excitement filled him, his grin widening as he turned to look and -

Realized how horrible the place looked. In the five hours he and Lucy had been working, all they'd managed to do was dirty countless cleaning rages, change the water buckets at least ten times, wash two windows and add to the endless footprints left in the dust. Looking at the floor now, Natsu was able to pick out Lucy's smaller foot prints within the dirt and fluff, his larger ones always right there beside or behind hers. Always there, standing behind her to reach that spot just out of reach of her finger tips. Here and there, his foot prints a little wider apart, hers missing her left or right step. It was then that he'd laced his fingers so his hand was almost a cup for her to set her foot in, her small hand digging in to the fabric of his t-shirt and clinging for dear life as she scrubbed a particularly stubborn dirt spot on the window...

"Hey, earth to Natsu!"

The loud snap of her fingers to his ear jerked him back to reality, the images of her determined expression above him, her tiny body trapped by his reaching arms, even her sweet smelling scent – mint, he realized – fading from his minds eye all to quickly. Growling softly, Natsu mentally chided himself. Lucy was here to help him clean and that was _it._ Besides – this sweet smelling, tiny slip of a determined woman was his _tenant_ for gods sake! On top of that, he just met her less then ten hours ago!

He figured he'd better answer her and soon, judging by the unreadable look on her face. Focusing once more on the bar around them, it again dawned on him how old and abandoned this place really was. How much work they had ahead of them. Earlier in the day, he'd figured out the city had in fact turned on the water, heat, air conditioner and electricity as he had previously requested. Realizing an escape from the tedium and boredom of cleaning, Natsu worked his way to his phone and jabbed the screen – perhaps a tad to hard, but hey – it was the dirt's fault for being here in the first place! That was his story and he was sticking to it, no matter what! Snorting a little laughter, he felt more like his old self as he pulled up a music selection he rather liked – a mix of country, some rock and one or two piano and violin instrumental pieces – and set out to clean.

"We should probably sweep before we do much else. I guess it's a good thing you grabbed a few brooms, hm?"

Both knew that was not what she had wanted to say. Natsu could feel the question hanging between them in the air as he grabbed a broom and mask, roughly sweeping in a corner. With each pass of his broom, a light and pale wood of the floor came in to view. What little patch caught the light, Natsu knew would look amazing once it was polished and properly mopped! He also knew that the stupid floor was just a distraction as to the real elephant in the room.

Why would some one as young as himself buy a place like this to open a bar – how could he even afford it? Why so sudden? Sighing inwardly, he clamped down that little internal idiot of a voice that told him that was in fact three questions instead of one. All of them were relevant, damn it! Tenant or no, nice or no, Natsu knew he wasn't stupid enough to go about and tell the woman his exact reason he was here! That would go over _totally_ well!

 _Ah, yeah, Lucy...guess what! So I stole money from my own boss – a crime lord who illegally imports and exports any and all caffeinated products your little heart desires! I used to be a runner for him when I was a kid, then a barkeep – but one day the cops found out and we were raided, I escaped and went on the run – less then a year later, here I am looking to open my own Coffeehouse! Looking for work besides that bio hazard of a grocery store? I'll pay well, you just need to trust me under threat of death, with your life and not breathe a word of my activities to anyone or I'll have to kill you! Dream job right there!_

Yep... _totally_ well...

"Sweep any more and you'll be able to dig to the basement!"

Natsu turned, just in time to catch Lucy's grin as she went back to dancing and sweeping, the dust moats floating around her like fairy dust in the sunlight. Just the sight of it was enough to distract him from sweeping again, the feelings flooding him knew and weird, almost like he'd run up an endless flight of stairs non stop, his heart was beating so fast just watching Lucy. Just before he tore his gaze away, he could've sworn he'd seen her cheeks more pink then they were a mere moment ago.

Growling at himself once more for becoming distracted by this...irksome woman!...Natsu turned the music a little louder, falling in to his old rhythm of back when he worked for Jude as a barkeep. When it was a slow night in the bar and coffeehouse, he would close down early – shut down the big lights, shut off the open sign, lock the doors and give the kitchen a once over. Once that was done – that's when his fun really began. Popping his phone in to the coffeehouse sounds system, he would blast the music just loud enough for his liking and clean.

Ignoring the goggles and mask, the tang of the bleach stung his eyes and nose, burning with each blink, searing with each breath – and he welcomed it. Much like the fire he controlled, this burn was one that allowed Natsu to feel _alive_. Working with Jude was never an easy job, right from the get go. One would figure as a kid, he'd get some special treatment, right? How quickly that tune changed. It was worse for the kids that worked with Jude. They did not have the strength or knowledge to defend themselves, their innocence making them ignorant – _if_ they were lucky enough to even realize their innocence for what it was. An escape. Most often the children would break. Snap under the pressure of working with a sick and twisted man like Jude and most of his underlings. Bidding their time until their time of service was complete, not realizing it never was.

Although Natsu himself had never had the extreme displeasure of 'welcoming' the new kid to the coffeehouse business, he'd seen first hand what each kid went through. Illegally adopted, sold by their parents or just plain grabbed right off the street, what kids were working for Jude did not have an easy life. Right from the get go, Jude himself would show them the consequences of betraying his 'laws' as he called them. Three basic rules really: No snitching, no stealing, no getting out. Once you were in, that was it. Anyone who broke those rules – especially the no snitching and stealing, were given harsh punishments.

Natsu was just a boy when he'd seen Jude kill a man. He'd had one of his cronies, a kid about Natsu's age at the time – Gajeel Redfox to be exact – pin the man down while another crony, this one an ice make mage, slowly shoved a dagger made of ice right in the man's jugular. Then he'd just left him there to bleed to death, eyes wide and so full of fear. The man was reduced to nothing but a twitching and bleeding mass of flesh. They'd gone so far as to beat Natsu when he'd tried to cauterize the man's wound. He was just _seven_ at the time.

As further punishment, Jude had made Natsu burn the corpse to ashes and clean the room after that was done. For years, that metalic and rotting smell of burning flesh and hair clung to his senses, digging in and lingering like a parasite. Not even the warmth of fresh coffee or the spiciness of the perfume from the women that came to the coffeehouse could chase away that smell. No matter what he'd tried – it'd taken years for it to finally leave him. Even then, as a dragon slayer with heightened senses, on bad days, he could still smell it all to vividly, that sickly sweet smell of death.

"Magnolia police, open up!"

A loud and more feminine scream drowned out the screams of the dying man, clearing the fog of memories from Natsu's memory swamped mind. Instantly dropping the broom, he vaulted over the counter, cursing as he knocked down the open bottle of bleach, the burning sensation now more intense then ever. Wrapping an arm around Lucy's waist to easily move her out of danger if need be, Natsu was about to ask the police officers what they wanted when he words stopped dead in his throat.

"Miss me...Dragneel?"

With those three words, the passed thirteen years of his life he'd tried to run away from came crashing back to him. Shattered coffee pots in the sink...loud whistle blasts of the police...commands to get down! Get down and lie flat, arms behind your head! Rough hands shoving him towards the door as it was bent and twisted beyond recognition...Gajeel standing in the door way, metal scales slowly molding over his body for armour, protecting Natsu from prying eyes as six police officers in full SWAT gear bared down on him. The sounds of gunfire and whistle blasts, the tang of blood and coffee sharp in his senses was the last memory he had of the night of the raid, when all of his world went to hell.

"Redfox...? I thought...! Are you – how?!"

Here stood the last person he'd expected to see – an embodiment of Natsu's dark and blood soaked past.


	4. Masks of memory

Grabbing the shot glass of flaming whiskey, Natsu chugged it down in one shot, the burn helping him to focus. He and Gajeel sat at the now clean counter, Lucy and Levy sitting off to the side at one of the tables talking as the four of them took a break from cleaning. As soon as Natsu saw Gajeel and realized the man was in fact alive and standing in his door way, he'd grabbed the broom and swept the rest of the room, a large dirt pile in the middle, all in attempt to focus and gather his scattered thoughts. Sweeping the ashes of the wanna be curtain, he'd set the whole pile on fire. That done and satisfied with himself, he turned to Gajeel and asked the question that burst in to his mind.

"What the hell happened, Redfox."

So simple yet so loaded a question. Within those five words spoken, hundreds lay unspoken. How had the police known about the coffee house? How had they known what time to have the raid? How did they know the location of the coffee house? Why was Jude not there that night – the past few nights! Why were the regulars not there? Why had Natsu been called in? Why had they been shot at?! If it was a simple raid, why were the police in full SWAT gear?! The questions raced up his throat and Natsu had to clench his jaw to keep them from bursting out passed his lips. Patience and discretion had to be used in this conversation. The less Lucy knew about his past the better. As it stood right now, Natsu was going to pretend to call it a night as soon as it got dark and clean the Coffeehouse downstairs by himself. Now that he knew that Lucy lived so close to his bar / coffeehouse – right above to be exact! - he had to be extra _extra_ careful in what he said and did.

It was bad enough that he was putting himself in danger opening his own coffeehouse! Jude was not a man that dealt with competition to well. Natsu had seen first hand how the sadistic man had sabotaged other coffeehouses that ran against his own. From something simple as planting rats and poisoning the coffee beans to outright murder making it look like a suicide and killing the assassin, all to cover his own tracks! Jude was a man not to be messed with nor taken lightly. And that was with people he didn't know! It made Natsu's skin crawl just to imagine what Jude would do to him if the other man had found out that he'd had struck out on his own! Death would be a happy release that Natsu would _beg_ for before his old boss was done with him...!

Natsu's gaze slid over to Lucy, taking in her pleasant smile, mussed hair from working so hard with the cleaning and the way her shirt had slid up a little, exposing a thin line of pale flesh above her blue jeans. Gajeel's deep laughter and a punch to his arm had Natsu blushing at being caught staring.

"What?! I just met her twelve hours ago – she's my tenant upstairs."

"Oooh, landlord and tenant, eh? K-"

Natsu stomped on Gajeel's foot to shut the man up, talking louder then necessary to change the subject as his face burned crimson.

"So! Gajeel, I was thinking of using masks again."

"Like before? Think it'll work again?"

Back when he was a barkeep at Jude's old coffeehouse, Natsu had worn a mask that covered the top half of his face, keeping his identity anonymous but still showing enough that his guests were comfortable with it. He was still able to speak and smile, be understood and understand his guests clearly. His regular females and some males even, _loved_ it. More often then not, Natsu had to turn down a few dozen requests a night for a private coffee in the VIP section of the coffee house. Personally, he'd felt that's where Jude went wrong. Yes, this business ran purely by word of mouth but there was a point where word got out to much. That was probably what had happened in Jude's case. To many people heard about it, word got back to a snitch that worked with the authorities and the whole thing imploded. Discretion was ninety if not one hundred percent of this business! Natsu knew that if he went around town handing out fliers about his coffee house under his bar, he would be shut down faster then he could make the first cup of dark roast.

"I guess you'll have to rebuild your collection again, mm?"

A smirk passed Natsu's lips at Gajeel's observation, a pang stabbing his heart as he knew the words to ring all to true. In the few years since he'd been a caffeine barkeep, Natsu had collected a fair amount of masks of all sorts of colours and patterns. Solid reds and greys, checkered whites and blacks, masks that were a solid colour cracking to show another colour beneath. He had a mask with little Christmas trees for Christmas complete with a beard, a black velvet mask complete with devil horns he wore on his head in a head band and a devil's tail that attached to his belt, just for Halloween! Even a red satin mask with little angel's wings for valentines day!

To make it fun and interesting, Natsu went all out with his masks, often taking requests in a draw box and drawing one out at the end of the week. The name that was drawn got to choose the style on the mask, any accessories – to a certain degree, so they didn't get in the way of his work – even the colour of the string the mask was tied on with. (Often times he'd used the same colour string as his hair, so it didn't look weirdly obvious). After the first few draws, it became the norm for weird ideas to come in – a game for the regulars and an attraction for drawing in new comers. Very few times, he'd have to turn down a mask idea – a mask of pure flame blue for example. He'd rather have liked to _keep_ his eyebrows! The worst idea he'd ever had was a suggestion for a mask that looked like a flamingo – beak and all. The request had even asked he dress all in pink! Even though his hair was the colour of salmon flesh...Natsu Dragneel did _not_ do pink!

Laughter bubbled up as he remembered his most favourite mask. One of his most favourite requests was to dress like a police officer! Though he stuck to his usual button down shirt and dress pants he normally wore to work, he'd added a grey vest with a clearly fake police badge, blue mask that covered his upper half of his face and a pair of handcuffs looped through his belt. The key he wore on a leather strap around his neck.

New guests, regulars and new comers alike, had their pictures taken when they first arrived in the door and noticed Natsu. At the end of that night, the person who received the loudest cheers from the audience for the look on their face won a free cup of espresso – usually sold at one hundred dollars for a cup the size of a shot glass. When all was said and done, Natsu burned all of the pictures, the winner's included, right in front of everyone's eyes, tossing them in the air and spitting fire balls at them. The ashes rained down in the crowed, covering everyone and everything and they _loved_ it! Needless to say, those were the nights where the lookouts were kept on their toes – and the staff was grateful for their forced practice at quick shut down of the coffeehouse!

"Hey, so, who's hungry? You all are invited back to my place for a well deserved supper!"

Lucy's voice right beside him, her tiny hand on his shoulder jerked Natsu from his memories. His eyes flicked to his watch on the underside of his wrist, widening as he noticed the time. It was ten o'clock at night and he hadn't even gotten started on the coffeehouse! Never mind his apartment upstairs! His grumbling stomach broke through all of his thoughts as Lucy laughed softly looping her arm through his and tugging him from the stool, their empty shot glasses and half filled whiskey bottle forgotten.


	5. Surprise!

Stepping in to the stairwell, Natsu wasn't surprised to see how neat and clean the place was. Everything was swept and dusted, the natural light in the window at the top of the narrow staircase shone down and lit up the dark rosewood of the floor and stairs. A little buzzed, Natsu was still able to focus enough where he noticed the wood banisters, white walls and at the top of the stairs a narrow hallway. As the tiny group walked down the hallway, Lucy showed them a plain looking door, off to the right. What Natsu assumed would be another apartment, was in fact a laundry room and storage area. A plastic sink stood beside the washer, the dryer on the washers other side. The hot water tank was off to the left of the room, a little table for folding clothes against the wall, also on the left side. A fairly large window was on the wall straight ahead, letting a fair amount of natural light to spill in the room. Above the roof was lined with large metal ducts that Natsu assumed was for the heat and air conditioning, thinner copper pipes with a red or blue stripe – presumably for hot and cold water. Dead center in the concrete floor, the drain lay – suspicious looking chemical stains around it.

"Yeah, so that's the boring laundry room! And this is my apartment! Two bedrooms, one bath, the whole shebang! Except en suit laundry, hint hint mister landlord!"

A smile broke out over Natsu's lips, lighting his dark eyes as Lucy grinned over her shoulder to him, her brown eyes dancing with hidden humour and mischief. Although he knew he had to focus almost entirely on his coffeehouse and bar to keep up appearances, Lucy so far didn't seem like a bad tenant – so what if he tried to make her life a tad more comfortable? To his alcohol soaked brain, that seemed like the best idea at this given moment.

"Ah but, Lucy, if you do manage to get your landlord to agree to it, you'd have to contact the buildings owner -"

"I – ugh, why is the world spinning!? - I own this hunk ah junk."

"This building is _not_ a hunk of junk, _Dragneel_!"

As Natsu fell against the wall laughing, Lucy hitting him upside the head, he could hear the short blue haired woman – Levy, his boozed brain provided – sigh and continue with what she was saying. A growl slipped out of his mouth as Lucy whacked him a good one with her shoe. Reaching out, he grabbed her wrists and held them to his chest, focusing on Levy like his life depended on it. This was important information! To bad he left his pen in his car...

" _Anyways_! Hunk of junk or not – Lucy, you would have to give up the second room, the whole building would have to be rewired and brought up to code. Yes your apartment is due for a renovation – it's been ten years! - That wouldn't be worth it for the _only_ apartment in a building this old. All of this is up to current city codes, it's best not to mess with it."

Natsu nodded groggily along with every word Levy said. She could've been talking about a skip-rope jumping rainbow panda for all he cared at this given moment, but she seemed eager and it sounded very important by her tone of voice. Another snicker slipped passed as Lucy huffed and tugged him towards her door.

"Shut it, Natsu. No more drink for you, geezus! Instead of caffeine, they should outlaw alcohol!"

"Actually _Lucy –_ from nineteen twenty to nineteen thirty-three they had the prohibition because of people complaining about what alcohol did to people. Turned good people bad – among other issues of that present day and time which I wont be bothered getting in to. Anyways, case in point – they tried, failed and it cost hundreds if not thousands of lives because of failed smuggling, gang wars, over drinking, home made moonshine mixed with poison chemicals and – aahg gods..."

The rest was cut off when Natsu made a run for it towards the plastic sink in the laundry room, all the beer and lack of food in his system finally getting to him. Levy, Gajeel and Lucy stood in the hall way dumbfounded before Gajeel sighed and walked with Levy to Lucy's apartment, the blonde standing there in the hallway dumbfounded. When Natsu finally cleaned himself up and came into the hallway, she looked up at him in surprise.

"What the hell was that about?! Did you eat a history book for breakfast!?"

Blinking owlishly, he was about to speak when she sighed and slapped him upside the head once more, finally tugging him inside her apartment and slamming the door. He hated acting the idiot with Lucy and the others, but part of his job at running a successful illegal coffeehouse meant he had to learn from mistakes of the past! Learning from mistakes of the past meant he could not repeat them! Not repeating them meant he had at least a little bit of a fighting chance to not get caught. The more he educated himself the better – for himself and his customers!

Once inside the apartment, Natsu once again found himself pleasantly surprised. Expecting frilly and pink _everything_ , what he saw actually surprised him. The apartment was one wide open space, one door to the right that lead to what could've been a bathroom or bedroom. To the left stood two doors, also what could be the second bedroom and bathroom.

Feeling better now that the alcohol was out of his system mostly, Natsu followed as Lucy gave a quick two second tour. The same rosewood from the bar and the hallway continued in to her apartment. One giant and large window made up one wall straight ahead, white satin curtains neatly tied off to the sides to let the light in. Lucy's couch was made of soft green fabric, her couch pillows and blanket blue. Her coffee table, end tables and computer table were all made of silver metal frames, with glass surfaces. An over stuffed bookshelf with a chair the same as the couch and a tall silver lamp with a white shade was tucked in a corner off on the right side of the room. The giant television attached to the wall, a glass table holding her wireless router, television receiver and what looked to be a blue – ray player. On either side of the TV table set up, thin and long bookshelves were stacked with countless movies.

"You can close your mouth, Natsu. Apparently my father thought if he made the apartment fancy enough and sent me six months worth of rent twice a year like clockwork – I wouldn't notice he was gone..."

The bitterness in Lucy's voice was not lost on Natsu who found himself wondering what exactly this woman's father was like. To just leave his – near adult, yes – daughter behind like that and put the building she lived in up for sale!? Not a man he wanted to meet that was for sure...! Gajeel had parked himself on the couch and Natsu was extremely reluctant to get into what the hell exactly had happened the last night a more then a few months ago. Seeing a way out, he gently grabbed Levy's elbow as she moved to go help Lucy in the kitchen. Quickly thinking, Natsu came up with the most believable excuse he could.

"Hey, Levy, you mind if I help Lucy cook? I – ah – I want to see the kitchen but I don't want to be nosey..."

Suspicious understanding dawned on the tiny woman's face but Natsu knew he had her the moment he hinted about caring about Lucy's welfare. Although curious as to what the kitchen and the rest of the house looked like, he didn't want to outright nose around. This was just an easy way out of it. Besides...it got him away from talking to Gajeel, so double bonus there!

"Levy, could you pass the green peppers please? Bottom left crisper."

Shrugging, Natsu opened the stainless steel fridge and grabbed the green, red and yellow peppers, green and red onions and broccoli. Arms full, a grin broke out on his lips at the look of surprise on Lucy's face.

"You helped me in my bar today, I figured I'd return the favour by helping with dinner – deal?"

Even though she sighed, hands on her hips, Lucy still handed him a pairing and utility knife, setting both on the counter with a thick clear plastic cutting board. The two worked side by side and Natsu took in the rest of the kitchen to stave off the awkward silence that fell in the room. It seemed all the appliances, from the coffee maker and toaster to the gas stove and dishwasher were all stainless steel. The floor was the same light rosewood through out the rest of the building. The cupboards were a dark stained wood that he couldn't make out, the little nobs also stainless steel. Counter tops were what looked to be white marble, very thin streaks of silver and gold laced through out. The kitchen itself was spacious, a little island in the center with four chairs and those weird plastic place mats with what looked to be an open book, the words just blurry enough to illegible but still clear enough to look like actual words.

 _Geezus, this whole place looks amazing! I wonder what my apartment will look like..._

Before he could think any more of it, Lucy spoke, his thoughts on apartments scattering.

"So. I know why you want to run a barkeep – your version at least...but...why would you want to become a landlord of this building?"

"The idiot of a realtor failed to mention that I would be taking on a tenant and the duties of a landlord. I didn't aim for this."

The look on her face as she stopped chopping the onions caused Natsu to pause, realization hitting him at just how harsh he sounded towards her. It wasn't _her_ fault that Jon Doe-Smith-Smyth turned out to be a sleaze!

"Do you have plans for this building...?"

Immediately suspicious, Natsu kept quiet and waited a few moments for her to continue. When she didn't, again it dawned on him that she was worried about being run out of her home! Immediately looking to reassure her, Natsu wiped his hands on a fluffy yellow towel and pulled out a newspaper add from his pocket, handing it to her.

"You're not gonna loose your home if that's what you're worried about. I'll be moving in the area in a few days hopefully. I called this number but their phone didn't have an answering machine. I saw this add looking for a roommate in the Listings section of the newspaper. I figured it's in the area, nice and close to work, so why no – eh...Lucy?"

Natsu paused in his explanation as Lucy's face paled. Setting down his knife, he got ready to catch her in case she fell. Instead all she did was look at him wide eyed, hand holding the paper shivering as her other hand holding the knife gripped the handle tighter. Taking a step back, Natsu felt his flames rise to the surface in self-defence. If Lucy went to attack him with the knife, he would have no choice but to defend himself! Even though he was extremely reluctant to attack her...for so many reasons, the most important being she was his tenant and sending her to the burn ward would _not_ be a good first step in getting to know her better!

"Natsu..."

"Lucy?"

"Natsu, I put this add in the paper with the realtor..."

She sighed and let go of the knife, her hands limp at her sides as the paper fluttered to the ground. When Lucy spoke, her voice was filled with hope, brown eyes pleading as she looked up into his dark ones with puppy – eyes.

"Please tell me you didn't sign the papers yet!?"

Rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, Natsu tried to smile a shaky smile and shake his head – only to be knocked over and jumped on by Lucy! Her tiny hands were tying the scarf tighter around his neck when Levy walked in with her empty wine glass, surprise clearly written all over her features.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

As one, the two sat up and pointed at the other, each speaking in an attempt to get the words out first.

"We're gonna be roommates!"

Light laughter from Levy and deeper laughter from Gajeel who'd walked up just then rang out in the apartment, the two on the floor going back to Lucy trying to wring Natsu's neck with his scarf while he tried to fight her off.


	6. Plans of action and questions of loyalty

Swiping the cloth along the dusty counter, Natsu rubbed his tired eyes once more. Temptation to drink another cup of coffee surged through him but he fought it down. It would be bad business if he drank half his product before he'd even had a chance to sell it! Although he was beyond tired, he was almost done. The freshly washed and polished rosewood floor shone in the light from the window high in the wall. He was a tad surprised when he came in to the basement to find what he did. Once he'd gotten all the garbage and dust out of the way, he'd confirmed the sleaze bag Jon Doe (Natsu had chosen that name. It would be easier to sign on the man's death certificate when Natsu snapped his tiny little neck!) had in fact spoken the truth.

Much like the bar up on the main floor, there was a long desk in the back, sixteen mismatched tables with six mismatched chairs each, a working cash till, plenty of plug ins in the behind the counter for his coffee machines. Off to the right of the counter a metallic door lead to a walk in. Natsu had gotten in a shipment of ground European Dark Roast, Medium Blend, Decaf and sixteen dozen quarts of all the ice cream flavours you could imagine and then some. All of it was packed away in the freezer, bursting and ready to explode it was so full. Under the bar, dozens upon dozens of very plain white cups of varying sizes from the size of a shot glass to the size of a soup cup as big as Natsu's opened hand lay opening down on saucers, ready for the hordes of caffeine addicted men and women to come and drink.

Off on the left side of the room, two doors lead to washrooms, one for females and one for males, both handicap accessible. Next to the steep stairs leading down, there was a lift, worked by a pulley downstairs. All the individual need do was ring the buzzer and the security standing watch would press the button for it go down or up, whatever the need. A small generator was hidden under the stairs for back up in case of electricity failure.

Opposite the wall with the bathrooms, there was a fire escape door Natsu had managed to disarm, the words EMERGENCY ESCAPE giant letters against a white background. Innocent letters in and of themselves, they served a duel purpose. As a beacon for victims of a building fire...and also a police raid. The emergency exit opened in to an ally, right by the main street. It would be nothing for his guests to rush out and melt in the crowed. Natsu himself had a private escape behind the coffee bar. A section of shelf could be pulled away and fit back in so seamlessly it looked to just be part of the display off coffees, ice creams on ice, and special creams. All Natsu need do is shift the carton of Chocolate Fudge Ice cream and the weight sensitive switch was activated, the door opening enough for Natsu to slip through. That had taken him six hours to install and keep hidden. As it was a display only, the cartons, cups and glasses were filled with sand of various shades to simulate various shades of coffee. He would be the only one back here so he need not worry about anyone accidentally finding his way out.

He'd had _a lot_ of time to think about this. After Lucy had finally calmed down from choking him in the kitchen, dinner was finished and the four of them spent the rest of the night chatting and getting to know one another a little better. Lucy explained her dad leaving, Natsu told his lie about wanting to start a new chapter in his life, Gajeel said he just followed Levy where she went and Levy always moved – part of her job as a collector and appraiser of rare books. All in all the night went well until it was late, Gajeel and Levy leaving with promises to come and check to make sure Lucy hadn't killed Natsu in a few days. Natsu was about to put his coat on and go sleep in his car when Lucy had asked if he'd wanted some wine. After a few glasses in an awkward filled silence, Lucy fell asleep, her head resting on his shoulder.

Although it was to late to take back the forums making Natsu and Lucy roommates, he could at least giver her the night to get used to the idea. That said, he'd chosen to work his way downstairs through his bar and down to his coffeehouse. If he was going to make a living off of this, he would have to open up to the public for his bar and his coffeehouse. The bar would be no issue, he'd already put advertisements for the opening in three days time. As for the coffeehouse...

Back when he was working for Jude, he'd had contacts of his own, jealously guarded and sworn to silence through unspoken mutual agreement. Now that he'd been gone for more then a month, Natsu couldn't help but wonder if they were still loyal to him. When he'd run, the first thing he'd done was toss away and destroy any and all information and electronics Jude had given him or he might have been in contact with. His old boss was not against spying on his own men. That was a lesson you learned fast or paid for dearly later. More then a few times Natsu had to patch up another smuggler or runner after Jude's "little talks". The last man he'd patched up was missing three fingers, all his teeth and eventually went blind in one eye because it was stabbed with a hot poker, Natsu later found out.

And that was people loyal to Jude! Natsu had not only stolen half a million dollars from him over the span of thirteen years, he didn't fight to the death to protect the coffeehouse, ran at the first sign of trouble _and_ never once did he even try to contact Jude or any of his second in commands. That right there would mean a slow and painful death if Natsu was caught...

Looking to distract himself, Natsu grabbed his cleaning gear and left the now clean and well stocked coffeehouse behind him. Just as he shut the trap door hidden in the janitors closet, there was a loud bang on the door. Shelving and hanging his cleaning supplies, he'd just stepped out of the closet to go to the door when the loud knock came again, this time followed by a demanding voice.

"Open this door immediately! Magnolia Police Department!"

Natsu's hand froze on the door knob, his blood turning to ice in his veins.


	7. A deal with the devil

_**Hello dear readers – thank you for your understanding in the long wait, so I wont go on and on – without further adieu...chapter seven of Bitter Sweet!**_

 _ **Three hours later...**_

Running his hand through his mussed hair with a sigh, Natsu faced the three people in front of him. Six if you count their body guards. Mirijane Strauss, one of Jude's generals and one of the best smugglers of caffeinated goods in all of Fiore. She was a woman that brought a man even as feared as Jude to his knees. A simple smile could mean she's accepted you in to her fold...that very same smile could mean that in two seconds you're a dead man. Hair so light it looked white flowed back over her shoulders, a simple summer dress hiding what Natsu knew to be a very powerful figure. It took only one hit from that woman to be toppled over on your arse. If that wasn't enough and you were to stupid to realize you've lost the fight before it's even begun, the woman's Take Over magic was enough to stop you dead in your tracks. The strongest of the very feared Take Over Siblings – three out of the six of Jude's generals – her magic was enough to scare even the most crooked of screws straight.

Next to her stood Bisca Connell. Although not as secretive as Mirijane, the woman was just as deadly. One shot from her gun – you were a dead man, even at fifty meters. That was just what Natsu himself had seen. The poor bastard didn't stand a chance, no matter how fast he ran. She was not a woman to be messed with and the cold smile of hers said so. Where as Mirijane was in charge of shipping, Bisca and her partner Alzack were in charge of protecting that cargo. It was a job they did all to well. To well some would argue...but those voices were silenced very very quickly. The husband and wife team were not people one messed with and were left to live, Natsu had over heard once that even Jude was wary of what he said around them.

Seated to Alzack's left was the petite version of Mirajane, small, thin, short almost white hair and big blue eyes, Lisanna was the picture of a sweet and innocent child. Natsu knew from first hand experience, she was not as innocent as she seemed to be. Far, far from it. Though he himself had not experienced her anger, he'd once seen a coffee house patron try and grab Lisanna where it was not appropriate. Even before he'd conjured a fire spell, her hand had changed to that of a cats paw, the sharp claws ripping and gouging the man's face. His left eye dangled there while he sat in shock, his friends having abandoned him.

Beside Lisanna sat a man that had to be the biggest guy Natsu had ever laid eyes on. Fists as large as his face, this time Natsu knew from first hand experience just how painful a blow from one could be. Though he did not know Elfman to well, one thing he did know was the man was beyond annoying. When he wasn't beating guys for grabbing at the waitresses, he was lecturing the staff on how to "be a real man!". Just the words ringing through memory would be enough to get a headache going – if he hadn't already had one in the first place.

A giant fist flying at your face a million miles an hour would do that to a person!

Leaning back in a chair beside Elfman was the one who'd called him to this meeting under the guise of a police officer inspection a break in – the last man he wanted to see on this planet. Grey Fullbuster. Dark haired with eyes so dark, all light seemed lost, Grey was a man that would literally chill you to the both if the whim hit him.

"So...you escaped, eh kid?"

The question Mirijane asked dripped with honey, sweet and seductive to those not careful. Natsu was one of the few who knew her words for what they truly were. A veiled threat. A warning. Everyone in this room new how much of a risk it was that Natsu took in contacting her and her crew. Unlike Freed, Makarav and Erza who were loyal to Jude down to a fault – they would fight to the death for him, going until their magic reserves ran out, right to the bitter end...Mirajane, Elfman and Lisanna along with Alzack and Bisca were loyal...as long as Jude paid.

If Natsu's intel from Gajeel was correct, they hadn't been paid in a few months and they _weren't_ happy about it. It was information he could use in this fight against Jude. Although war hadn't been declared, by hiring Mirijane and her crew, word would get out – _fast_. Natsu Dragneel had struck out on his own and was now competition against Jude. The one safe guard he had to really count on and held jealously close at this moment was one very dangerous and deadly thing.

A secret. A lie. The signature on his death warrant. To get out of this, Natsu knew he had to do what he did best. Lie through his teeth.

So he did, hoping and praying that it worked like he'd hoped. Here and now was where the sword would fall, either clearing the way before him, or killing him where he stood, even before it began. It was a chance he had no choice but to make – he _needed_ people that had proven loyal if not at all trustworthy.

"I'm not in that business anymore Mira. Though, I'm sure you already know that..."

The pale haired woman's slow grin spoke volumes. She knew that and so so much more. Forcing down the shiver threatening to race up his spine, Natsu forced his dark gaze to meet hers, standing his ground against her. This was one battle he couldn't afford to loose and so he kept is gaze steady as he spoke again.

"I've opened a legitimate bar. Alcohol, spirits. Whisky, vodka, beer, girlie drinks, drinks for guys, anything – you name, I have it – or ways to get it. What I need are people I know for certain are loyal...for the right price. I've your fee plus half of the next payment. All yours right now, if you agree to work with me."

Natsu tossed a fat manila envelope on the table, within reach of Mirajane. Bisca snatched it up quickly and counted it, Alzack's hand hovering just over a gun at his side. Silence for a moment while the transaction was sorted, Natsu never moved his gaze from hers, though he let his mind race in it's thoughts as to how to get out alive if shit hit the fan. He'd taken a big risk leaving Gajeel at the door. He knew his friend would be here in a mere second, but a second was all it took for a bullet between the eyes.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, the snick of a gun and the press of cool metal against his temple. Without looking away from Mirajane, he knew Alzack stood to his right, gun pressed firmly against his temple. Across the table beside Mirajane, Bisca had her shot gun out and aimed right for his heart.

"There's only half the price you mentioned here."

Slapping away Alzack's searching hand, Natsu let determination grace his face, steel and desire to fight lacing his voice.

"Call off your dog, Mirajane, I'm not stupid. I've got it all, you get half now to show I'm serious. You get the second half after you agree to work with me."

Burning Alzack's hand when it got to close to his belt, a scowl over came his face at the mans hiss – joy surged through him when the gun shifted ever so slightly against his temple. Now he knew with certainty that if it came to a fight, he'd have a fighting chance. His magic danced within him as the hunger for a good fight surged through him. It took all he had to dampen it down and tuck it away for later – he'd be able to convince Gajeel to train and get it out of his system once this loose end was neatly tied.

"Hmm...so the little dragon's finally grown wings..."

At a seemingly thoughtless wave of her hand, the gun was taken away from his temple and a chair pushed roughly against the back of his legs, forcing him to sit. As she quickly counted the money again, Mirajane's face changed from that of a demoness bent on hell and destruction to that of a sweet and ditsy air head. Even her voice changed from commanding and controlling to light and airy. An illusion, he knew...one he himself used.

"Alright, _Dragneel_...we'll work with you."

A heartbeat later, Natsu's body fell in to a relaxed posture, an arm behind his head as he gently tossed a black manila envelope across the table to Bisca's waiting hands. After a few moments, the gunslinger mage finally spoke, affirming what was already known.

"It's all here as promised."

Graceful fingers grabbed the envelopes and tucked them in the bodice of her dress as Mirajane reached across the table, allowing Natsu to lightly grasp her hand in his a moment.

"We have a deal."

A smile and a look of naivety passed over Natsu's face. The atmosphere of the room had changed, the deal had been made. But Natsu Dragneel was no fool – he knew how to look underneath the underneath.

They had a deal... _for now_.


	8. Problem solved! - Sort of

"If you throw up in my car, I'll summon Loke to kick your ass – or Aquarius to drown you – and to help clean the mess!"

A loud groan burst from the mass that was Natsu curled in the passenger seat of Lucy's Pontiac Pursuit. As she went on to explain about the new red paint job – needed because a psycho with grocery cart issues scratched the hell out of the drivers side of her car – he peeked at the speedometer, looking for a way to get her to stop the car so he could yack his guts out. Letting her drive to the store was such a stupid idea – his masks could wait! He could walk the ten miles...or – something! Anything but this! Curling around himself in a tighter ball, he gave her his best puppy dog eyed look and tried to sound sweet.

"Lucy...can't you at least slow down a little? See the sights – or something? I'm new here, you're my tour guide!"

At her worn out sigh and tighter grip in the steering wheel, Natsu knew he'd lost the argument. Her next words left no room for argument.

"I'm going fifty, Natsu...the speed limit is seventy-five!"

As if to prove her point, an older man leaning so far over the steering wheel Natsu couldn't help but wonder for a second how he drove, went speeding by. A loud horn blared behind them, and with a growl, Lucy sped up, the speedometer jumping to sixty – five. Knowing he'd lost the battle and not wanting to face Lucy's spirits – thanks in a huge part to not knowing what her spirits really were like, just what she'd told him vaguely! - he closed his eyes and tried to think about anything but hurling all over Lucy's overly pink and weirdly blue interior of her car. Distracted for a moment, he ran a finger over the dash, taking in the almost sky blue of the plastic. How she'd managed to find a car that looked so... _girlie_ and creepy was beyond him. He had to admit though, at least the dash, gear shift, displays, and back seat were all blue. It was the pink of the seat and steering wheel covers that creeped him out a little bit more.

As Lucy took a turn, Natsu again curled his arms around his waist, sweat dripping down his already sweaty face. Reduced to a quivering lump of sick dragonslayer, he instead focused on the other matter that was weighing him down. His living situation.

"Hey...Lucy?"

"No, Natsu – we're only a few minutes away from the first store we need, I am _not_ pulling over!"

"No – that's not what I wanted to say! Geez..."

Running a hand through his hair, he focused outside the window, thinking he should just forget the whole thing. He was moving in with Lucy, big whoop. It's not like they were going to share a bed or something! Just the thought had Natsu curious...but one look at Lucy's grip on the steering wheel and the key holder at her hip was enough to put that thought on hold – _fast_! Shoving that problem away only opened others. Mainly, the glaringly obvious. Where would he sleep?

So far he'd made due with the couch, but that couldn't last. Although comfortable to sit on, it was to short for his small frame. A quick second tour of the apartment, Lucy and shown Natsu where her room was – he'd gotten just a peek of rustic wood bed and glass – maybe a desk? Before she'd snapped the door shut and told him to never go in there without her permission – something she didn't have to say twice! The second room was filled with the necessary items for upkeep of the building – power tools, extra light bulbs, mops, brooms, etc, with a few items of Lucy's tossed in. Lucy had asked if he'd had a bed or any furniture and Natsu had to admit he'd needed to burn what little he'd had in the way of furniture. Bed bugs had invaded his old apartment – part of the reason he was now moving in to where Lucy lived. Natsu jerked his head to face her in surprise a moment later. It seemed as if she could read his mind! When she spoke, Lucy kept her eyes firmly on the road in front of her, but her body turned slightly in his direction and – ignoring her keys that seemed to radiate a killing intent at his thoughts! - he couldn't help but appreciate her looks. A simple white tank top with a checkered black and white mini skirt and knee high boots, what wasn't to like?!

"...Did you even hear me, Natsu?!"

When her hand covered her keys, his dark eyes jerked up to meet hers – caught!

"Sorry, Lucy...I'm listening now...what was that?"

With a sigh, the blonde continued, now facing him. The car had stopped and he hadn't even realized it.

"I said we're here...and when we're done here shopping, we're going to meet Gajeel and Levy. There's a place where you can professionally cleaned used mattresses for a very decent price. I'm sure they have bedroom furnishings and such. The other stuff – you...you can borrow my cutlery and plates and that until we manage to get yours. But you break them, you replace them, understood?!"

At his wide eyed nod and slow grin, Lucy continued, flicking the key in the ignition off, the car halting with a slow dull humming.

"As for the storage room, Gajeel, Levy, yourself and I can clean it out in a manner of a few hours, sorted and cleaned than get you set up. You'll have a room by tonight, okay?"

Warmth that wasn't his fire spread through Natsu at Lucy's kindness. The little spitfire of a woman beside him had a fire all her own inside her he could tell...one that he'd need to watch out for! Though...the thought did excite him a little – like a cat with crumpled paper ball, he wanted to bat it around and see her limits. That was for another time though.

"Right! Thank you, Lucy – really."

As the two climbed out of the car, Natsu's stomach made a violent turn and he had to lean against the car heavily while his head swam. Lucy came over quickly and looped her arm around his waist, holding his other arm over her shoulders. Just as they took a step forward, Natsu's stomach lurched and he finally tossed what little lunch he had...Right all over Lucy's boots.

"Natsu Dragneel! You owe me a new pair of boots!"

"Hey! I did those things a favour! They're all scratched and worn – they were ugly any – uaahg!"

The rest of his words were caught by a kick right to the face.

 _ **Author's Note:** So dear readers, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! From here on, things are going to get good! Natsu will open his bar and speakeasy for the public. Lucy and Natsu will officially be moved in! So much excitement planned! Its been a slow start, but it will get faster and better...those of you reading / following / favourite – I appreciate it and cannot wait for you all to read the new content! To my new readers – thank you and I hope you've enjoyed it so far! I look forward to seeing what you all think in the later chapters!_

 _~ The Most Beautiful Of Lies_


	9. Of masks,tell tale hearts and smiles

Taking in the light wood of the floor and dark mahogany of the various tables around the room, Natsu almost absently noted that the walls to the right and left were mirrors the length of the room, wall to wall, floor to ceiling. Immediately his eyes were drawn to the multicoloured mannequins around the small room in various poses to display masks. Some bowing, some kneeling, some that looked to be bending in a human pretzel of some sort – the human-mannequin pretzel caused laughter to burst out of Natsu as he ignored the mask it wore, instead trying to copy it's pose. When he failed and knocked down the display instead, Lucy sighed gave him an odd look he couldn't quite make out – almost a mix between a gentle smile and a look of exasperation, leaving instead to look for a bathroom.

Once the display was righted, he looked around at the masks of various styles. Some covering the upper half of the face, the whole face, or even the right or left side of the face, depending. All sorts of colours and textures from dark to light, shining plastic to what felt like velvet. As Natsu looked around, a pang of sadness slowly filled him to a dull ache. Though he knew he could never go back to his old mask shop, he still missed it. There the owner knew his tastes and would keep aside masks for him for when he went shopping every few months. It was something familiar and safe, like a pair of well worn work gloves, or his very first mask. As Natsu's hand softly brushed over an emerald green velvet mask, a small smile came to him. Yes, his masks were forever gone – but it was time he started a new collection. The official marking of his new life in his new home.

"Well, I got most of the vomit off my shoes, but they still stink. You still owe me a new pair of shoes!"

Blinking out of his reverie, his gaze flicked over to Lucy and he couldn't help but smile when he noticed the hint of a blush on her cheeks. His smile only grew when her hand flicked to the keys at her side, warm brown eyes flicking away from his face to take in the masks that surrounded them in the store.

"What do you think, Lucy? I lost my old mask collection so I need to start from scratch. The masks for the holidays will have to wait until they're closer to the right times, but for now...geez – I've had so many masks I'm not sure how many I'd need..."

As he turned to look at the displays of masks that covered the half top of his face, he couldn't help but peek over to his companion once in awhile. It was like a game, to see if he could catch her unguarded and that little smile she always seemed to have when she was around him. All to soon though, he had to concentrate on his mask shopping – it had to get done before he could open his bar and speakeasy!

A particular mask caught his eye instantly, like a moth to a flame. His gaze caught on a pink half mask made of metal so thin, he was afraid that touching it would shatter it's almost ethereal beauty. The mask was small, clearly meant for a woman. The design slightly curved at the top, until it reached the edges of the mask, curling in to tiny claw-like points where they would rest on her forehead, just above her eyebrows. Likewise over the bottom, the lines were smooth, elongated at the edges until where it gracefully curved in to horns that would curl just under her coffee coloured eyes.

Before he could stop it, the image of him behind his bar in the upstairs serving drinks in a red mask much like this one, Lucy leaning against the counter waiting for the drinks he was making...She wore the pink mask he currently had in his hands, the same soft smile, seemingly just for him.

"That's a pretty mask, Natsu!"

Caught off guard, he turned and came – literally – nose to nose with Lucy, grinning as she blushed crimson, hand coming up to pushing him away. He couldn't stop the little spark of mischievous joy that burst through him at the look of panic mixed with joy on her face when placed his hands on her shoulders to turn and guide her to the mirror. To excited to speak, he couldn't help but feel a little caught off guard at how easy she followed. He half expected her to kick him, or at least force him to let go.

Instead she did neither of those things, following willingly as he scooted her over to the mirror. When he tentatively reached out and brushed her hair away from her neck so pieces didn't get caught in the ties, Natsu tensed expecting a punch. Shoulders tense, eyes looking for the signs of attack, of resistance, any sign that he should stop what he was doing and back away, he carefully tied the ties. As his fingers brushed through her hair to right it back in place, arms slowly reaching around her head to adjust the mask, he couldn't help but notice her leaning in to his touch a little bit. Again that soft smile graced her features, this time accompanied by a light blush made more beautiful by the pink of her mask.

Finished, he stepped back to look in the mirror to take it all in. There Lucy stood, blonde hair arranged just so over her shoulders and back, standing straight and tall. The soft blue colour of her t-shirt and dark red of her mini skirt only enhanced the masks beauty, mask and clothing bright against her pale skin.

The mask itself seemed as if it was made for Lucy and Lucy alone.

"Natsu?"

At her soft whisper of his name, he ripped his hands away as if burned by the very magic he controlled. Embarrassed and unsure what to do, he instead focused his gaze on his own reflection, smiling ear to ear as he scooped up a random mask.

"We match!"

His statement was true – sort of. Only in colour did they match. The mask Natsu chose was a full face mask, the mouth turned down in a frown, the eyes closed, with barely noticeable slits for the wearer to see through. It looked like the masks that theatres had in their symbols, the happy and sad masks. Lucy was turned facing him and he couldn't help but tense a little bit under to gaze.

As the silence was getting deep in to awkward and close to uncomfortable, she reached out and flicked the nose of the mask, laughter escaping her. If Natsu stepped half a step closer, if Lucy's hand stayed a little longer than was necessary for a simple gentle shove of a shoulder, neither noticed...or chose not to mention.

"Can I help you two fine people this day?"

Jerking away from Lucy, Natsu turned with a glare to the tiny man who had so rudely interrupted...whatever that was with Lucy. The small man stood there, a smile on his thin lips and milky eyes taking in the two young people standing in front of him. A smile broke out over broken and brown teeth, as a hacking cough of a chuckle escaped him.

"You two are looking for masks, ah? Sorry to say my boy but that mask does not suit you. Your girlfriend on the other hand...that mask fits you so well, my dear."

A wrinkled hand bent with arthritis reached out gently clasped Lucy's hand in his, motioning Natsu to follow as he lead them over to a stand of masks on mannequins that looked distinctly male. It took a moment for his brain to catch up to the rest of him, his mind reeling at the old man's words. He'd called Lucy his girlfriend! She wasn't! She was his tenant! He'd even go so far as to say Lucy was his friend, seeing as she trusted him enough to allow him in to her car with her and drive him some where after only knowing him for less than a week!

"Sir...Lucy's not my girlfri -"

"Hush, lad, don't argue with an old man, hm?"

Crimson raced over his cheeks as Natsu nodded and bowed his head to the old man, a silent apology. His mind kept racing over the word _girlfriend,_ a never ending cycle. Is that what they looked like while they were mask shopping? Had the man noticed the way the two of them stood close together, their hesitant touches, shy smiles? Or...maybe it was all just in his head. Judging by Lucy's blush and smile, Natsu knew he wasn't dreaming the old mans words. Though, that brought the question as to Lucy's behaviour...she wasn't her usual out going, feisty kind of attitude he'd expected. It was sort of the same attitude she'd had the same night they'd drank on her couch...the first night he'd met her actually. That mixed with a sense of familiarity grown over the passed week...! A frustrated growl chased a small spout of flame bursting passed his lips.

"Natsu, look at this mask! It'd be perfect for you!"

When he focused again, her tiny hand was clasped around one of his, the old man looking on with another small smile, milky eyes seeming to take in all around him. It was a little disturbing and Natsu held her hands with his free one, fighting down the urge to just walk right out dragging Lucy behind him, mask or no mask.

That was until he took a look at the mask the man was holding. Eyes widened and he let Lucy lead him to the mirror wall, docile as a new born pup. Taking a deep breath, he was slightly surprised when she laced her fingers through his hair to smooth it out, gently tying the string of the mask in place. The exact copy of Lucy's, it seemed to smooth over his face like a second skin. The mask slightly curved at the top, until it reached the edges, curling in to tiny claw-like points on his forehead, just above his eyebrows. Likewise over the bottom, smooth until the edges where it gracefully curved in to horns that curled just around the edges of his eyes. A grin came to him as his gaze flicked to meet hers in the mirror – only to freeze as a full body blush seared it's way through him. Overly warm, he felt slightly dizzy as his eyes met hers and she smiled in her mask. The image was exactly as he'd pictured it when he'd first picked the mask up and it forced the breath right out of his lungs.

"I think you two have found the perfect masks for yourselves!"

The old man's words were a lifeline he clung to desperately, pulling himself away from the odd look Lucy once again wore. Fear and a shy determination. When her eyes danced down, it was than that he noticed he'd reached out and held her tiny hand in his.

"Shall I ring you up?"

Reluctantly he released her hand, his heart hammering as he turned away quickly. When the order was bagged and paid for, he quickly went to the door on pretence of holding it open for Lucy as she passed through, the same with the passenger door of the car.

As she passed him the keys, he gently squeezed her hand, convincing himself it was merely a way of thanking her. Starting the engine, Natsu did his best to ignore his hammering heart and burning cheeks. Pulling out in to traffic, he tried his best to concentrate on the road and not the way Lucy's eyes shone in the sun...or that tiny smile, seemingly just for him she wore as she gently, fleetingly, brushed her hand against his resting on the gear shift.

It was just her way of thanking him, his reeling mind supplied.

Doing his damnedest to convince himself of that uncertain fact, he knew he'd fail. The tell tale hammering of his heart in his chest whispered otherwise.

But who to believe?

His mind?

She was merely thanking him for the mask he'd insisted on paying for.

His heart?

The smile, the looks, the brushing of her hand against his once more, seemingly by accident as she changed radio channels...she was offering him an opening of something more than friendship.

That one uncertain question burned more fiercely than his fire within.

Who to believe, his mind that offered the most realistic answer...or the hammering beat of his tell tale heart?


	10. Welcome to Firebrand!

_**Author's Note:**_ _Please note that in Canada, the legal age to buy and consume alcohol drinks is Eighteen. I am aware that other countries, the age is different. For my work, I choose to go off of my own country's choice of legal age for Natsu's world._

 _ **~.~.~.~**_

These passed two weeks had to have been the longest in Natsu's most recent memories. Even working for Jude, he'd never had to run around so much! Screw a chicken with their head cut off, he felt like a whole flock of chickens with their heads cut off! With loads of help from Lucy and Levy and a little help from Gajeel, (He'd built two chairs and spent the rest of the time chewing on old scraps of metal that Natsu took from the fire escape along side the building...) his bar was finally complete! Fully stocked with any and all products found online and suggest by an over enthusiastic Brewery Market employee, Natsu felt he was ready to take on any and all alcohol consuming masses. This would be great! If he could just figure out names for his drinks...and shut Gajeel up before things got even worse and awkward...

"Atomic Cat?"

"No. That has no alcohol in it...this is a bar..."

"Crazy Cow?"

"Talking about yourself now, Gajeel?"

A large fist slammed down on the counter, the glasses dancing and clinking against one another as Natsu just stood there and grinned, wiping another glass out with a clean rag. For an hour now, he and Gajeel had been sitting at his new bar with Natsu's laptop while the two tried to compile a list of drinks that could be served at Natsu's bar. At first, it was going great and they'd had a fair sized list. From Bees Knees to Hair of the Dog, Natsu figured it'd be a fun little twist to have silly names for the drinks. The whole – whatever it was Gajeel was doing, started when he finally got sick of the other man eating any and all metal in sight. The very last straw was when Natsu had just finished mixing a perfect Grasshopper when a flake of metal went flying. Though he was using shot glass amounts, the alcohol was still not cheap, damn it!

"Flaming Gorilla?"

"Talking about yourself again, Gajeel?"

Ignoring is friends growl and Levy's surprised gasp, Natsu grinned to Lucy, who'd just stepped up to the counter, a pile of hand written menu's in her hands. As she boosted herself on the counter and Natsu wrapped an arm around her waist to gently pull her on the other side, the two ignored Levy's look of surprise and Gajeel's look of concern masked with mild interest. Natsu knew that look all to well. Once he was alone with Gajeel, he'd get an ear full of something only the metal eating mage knew. Normally on the side that had to listen, he _wasn't_ looking forward to it...

 _Maybe if I leave more fire escape pieces lying around...?_

A gentle poke in the side from Lucy, and his mind was brought back to the present – and his friends looks. Something between he and Lucy had changed since they'd gone mask shopping, that was for certain. As for what it was...well. That was up in the air and in all honesty, Natsu didn't want to delve to deep on what it was right now – it scared the hell out of him to think of bringing Lucy anywhere close to his life, past or present. Just knowing of the coffee speakeasy below his feet felt like the beating of a tell tale heart...it was enough to set him on edge.

No.

The fewer things Lucy knew of that, the better. For her safety as well as his own. For now...

"Fire Hammer drink."

Immediately Natsu's head shot up at the word "fire", ignoring "hammer" and "drink". The look on the barkeeps face changed from mild excitement to very minor rage when the two women started laughing softly.

"He's like a puppy with fire! You should've seen him at dinner last night, it was my turn to cook and when i started the burner – never mind the delicious food I was making – he asked to eat the _flames_!"

Scratching the back of his head, Natsu burst in to an embarrassed grin at Lucy's sadly true anecdote. In his defence, the flames looked like they'd taste good! He'd never seen a gas stove before, just an electric one! That or his own flames – and...no. Eating his own flames?! He'd may as well eat his own foot! Or elbow! Or ear – at least that way he'd still be able to use his magic and fighting...

"What about Iron Butterfly drink?"

The room seemed to freeze at Levy's voice and knowledge of drinks. Only Gajeel shifted, his elbow falling to rest on the top of her head where she swatted it away halfheartedly. Lucy looked to her friend, mouth gaping open until Natsu tapped it with his finger, grinning. When the blonde closed it, she seemed to find her voice.

"You drink, Levy?! You don't seem the type..."

The little bluenette huffed before smiling to Lucy, a small grin on her lips and mischief in her eyes.

"I've been to my fair share of bars, Lucy! Just because I read a lot and work with rare books, doesn't mean I don't know how to have fun...!"

Natsu grinned and flung a towel at Gajeel when he noticed the other man's look of surprise. Although he'd never admit it, Natsu was mildly surprised at the tiny woman. To admit it though... that would mean giving Gajeel a way out of his situation and it was to amusing to do otherwise!

"Okay, okay, we're trying to think of drink names for our bar!"

A slight shiver flicked down Natsu's spine as he heard Lucy call it "our bar". A few days ago when he'd asked if she would like to work part time at his bar as a waitress, he didn't expect her to jump at the opportunity right away. He was going to give her a couple of weeks to think about it, but next he knew, she'd said yes and called her boss, telling him what he could do with a banana and where...a chill still went down his spine at that image!

"Hanky Panky!"

Natsu's hands froze from the drink he was mixing, a sad attempt at making a Grasshopper. Though he'd been practising for a month now, he'd struck out a few times. At least these three plus Grey deemed his drinks passable. Grey and his cop buddies had started coming by after work for a drink twice a week. Though in thinking, that had only been twice, seeing as the bar was only open a week...

He was jerked out of his reverie at the menu's disappearing, only to appear a second later to whack him upside the head. Not a second later, his dark gaze met Lucy's smiling coffee coloured eyes as she winked before moving to greet their first customers of the night. A group of what looked to be collage boys, five of them, just barely over the age of eighteen. This was a group he knew he would have to watch like a hawk, with Lucy serving. Quickly finishing the order for the drinks, he shot a look to Alzack and Bisca standing by the door, his left shoulder shrugging.

 _How many?_

Quickly, Bisca walked over to the bar, sliding five I. D's across the counter.

"Glasses and Football Jock on the right side of the table are legal. The other three, fake. Alzack confiscated all of them."

With a quick nod, Natsu scooped up the I. Ds, pocketing the two real ones. Jumping over the bar, he tucked his mask in place, scowl straight to the point. Half way there, he met Lucy, gently tapping her hand to signify three were under age. With a nod, she turned back to the bar on Gajeel's end to fill more orders. With the place quickly filling up, they didn't have time for all the staff to pause and deal with the issue. Natsu would deal with it personally.

As he neared the table, he noticed Alzack keeping watch out of the corner of his eye as Bisca went back to her place across from him, both continuing their work.

"...and than she said, she said – dude, what's with the dumb ass mask?"

When the kid cut himself off, his friends all gave him weird looks, the story not making sense. It was than that they noticed Natsu standing there, a feral grin on his face. All five faces went from confusion to Cheshire grins in mere seconds and Natsu couldn't help but grin as he crossed his arms.

"Hello, gentleman! Please allow me to welcome you to Firebrand!"

"Hey, dude...so, as I was saying -"

Sighing internally at their idiocy, Natsu casually reached over with his hand aflame, brushing his forefinger almost lovingly over the two small candles that sat centre table, each in their own glass. Immediately, all eyes were on his now extinguished hand, hidden by his crossed arms.

"As you're well aware, I'm sure – the legal drinking age is eighteen...seeing as you're in here with two adults, I can serve you water, soda beverages, or non alcoholic drinks..."

At this point, he quickly gathered the three glasses of the two that were underage and set the drinks within on fire, burning off the alcohol.

"...I don't serve alcohol to minors."

Natsu casually waved Alzack away when the three stood, their chairs falling down to the floor as they huffed like bulls. He merely smirked and waved Lucy over, eyeing the other two's spilled drinks.

"Could you please get these two law abiding gentleman orders of their drinks again? For the other three...I think they might like some apple juice and an oatmeal cookie."

Scooping up their food order slip, he grinned as the two burst out laughing at their friends, having been caught. Just as Natsu came close to the bar, one had the nerve to burst up again, calling to Natsu over the music and din.

"What about our , bro?!"

Sighing once more internally, a slow grin came to him as he took the cards out of his pocket, flicking them out of his reach.

"You mean these fake pieces of plastic?"

Natsu further grinned as the idiot nodded, reaching again. It took all he had to not burst out laughing when he lit his hand aflame, the cards quickly melting to flecks of plastic. The guys eyes bugged out so large, for a second Natsu could imagine his eyes popping right out of his head.

"Does that answer your question?"

Passing the flecks to the other man, he flicked a towel over his shoulder, turning to head back to his bar and other customers...

"Aaaahhg...sooo tired! It was such a good evening though!"

Groggy eyed and head pounding, Natsu flicked his eyes to the clock, noticing the time. It was five in the morning and the bar had just let out it's last guest, Alzack locking the door while Bisca took a quick look to secure the building and check the bathrooms for stragglers. That done, Lucy, Bisca, Alzack, Gajeel and Natsu all met around a table in the centre of the room, ten small pebble candles their only light. A soft knock on the door had Natsu standing and nodding to Alzack permission to open the door.

"Don't you guys look cheery this morning!"

"Says the lady who got eight hours solid sleep..."

"Stop your grumbling...I brought you coffee and came to drag your lazy butt home!"

Natsu met Lucy's eyes with a tired grin at the sour look settling on Gajeel's face and Levy's words, Gajeel's blush all to noticeable, even in the low light. When he noticed how tired Lucy looked, he took a quick look around. The bar was cleaned, alcohol secured, money in the safe with float ready for the next night. Tables washed, floors swept and mopped and candles all blown out. Natsu had tried to eat the flames, but the wax got in the way...mint and sakura blossom wax was _not_ a good addition to flames!

Fifteen minutes later, after one more quick look over the bar, Natsu shook Lucy awake, trying to ignore the warmth her sleepy eyed look filled him with. Tired right down to the bone, he just wanted to shower and sleep.

"C'mon, Lucy...let's go home..."

Once outside, the cold night air was just bitter enough to wake them the little amount needed to get inside. Natsu had his foot on the first step when he felt a tug against his vest, a second later, a gasp. He was quick to turn, but not quick enough. Just as he took in the sight of Lucy being pressed against a wall by a man he'd never seen before, knife to her throat, hands grabbed him by the wrists and he felt his magic energy slipping away like water through his fingers.

"Hello, _Dragneel_...Jude sends his regards..."

All the warmth and goodness of this night seemed to chill to ice in his veins, frozen as he gasped for breath. As he turned his head to look towards Lucy, the knife nicked his throat. He could feel the burn and warm sting as the cut bled, but paid no attention to it, eyes locked on Lucy's.

The pain he felt was nothing compared to the pain and confusion he saw in her eyes. At the mention of Jude's greetings to Natsu, her cold anger felt as quick and sharp as if his still beating heart was cut out with the knife held against his throat.

So weak from the drain on his magic energy, he didn't hear the roar of outrage, nor see a gaping hole open up beneath the two men's feet. Only when an iron bar impaled the red brick so close to his face, he felt it graze his cheek did he realize they were being saved...possibly to late for him.

The last thing he heard was Lucy cry out his name as a burning slice across his throat stopped his cry before he could even take a breath.


End file.
